Sunday Inspiration: Sunday, May 26, 2024
Bold and Fearless in Our Integrity
Scripture: Luke 16:10-11, 1 Peter 3:15-17
(I am not preaching this weekend. The following sermon manuscript is from a sermon I preached in 2023)
In his book "The Road to Character," author David Brooks presents an insightful distinction between two types of virtues: "resume virtues" and "eulogy virtues."
Resume virtues are the skills and qualities that feature professional resumes, such as intelligence, expertise, technical skills, and achievements. We are encouraged to focus on these traits to climb the career ladder and attain financial success.
Eulogy virtues are the qualities people remember and cherish about us when we are no longer around: kindness, compassion, honesty, courage, humility, and integrity.
Brook's warning is to avoid spending so much time on resume virtues that you neglect eulogy virtues. As a pastor who has given many eulogies, I can tell you that the qualities that define our impact on the world and the lives of others are not necessarily found on our resumes.
Integrity is a eulogy virtue. It is one where, at the end of our life, people can say we had it or didn’t. And if we didn’t, there won’t be a lot of good that people can say about us.
After reading the book, I started thinking, “Will my 85-year-old self regret this decision?” before making a decision.
💡 “Will my 85-year-old self regret this decision?” A powerful question to guide us in making choices that reflect our values and integrity. #LifeDecisions #IntegrityFirst
It doesn’t take me long to meet with a family member to discuss funeral plans to determine if the deceased person was one of integrity. If the conversation is only around resume virtues, success, financial gain, career moves, etc., and nothing about the person's character, it is safe to assume that they lacked integrity. In a Forbes article, author Amy Anderson writes, “Success is temporary, but integrity is forever.”
Before he was king, David was a shepherd boy. He was underrated, small in stature, and unqualified to be a warrior. Goliath was a warrior, a champion.
Against impossible odds, David puts a stone in his slingshot and brings down the giant.
We like underdog stories, where the most unlikely character battles her way to the top. The biblical story of David and Goliath is often told with the motivation to go and bring down the impossible obstacles in your life. It is a great story to tell to motivate others to succeed.
Face your giants. Knock down the barriers that keep you from God’s best. Stand strong. Step up. Take up your talents and charge ahead. Destroy the bullies.
Be David, but don’t become Goliath. The tragedy of David’s story that is often left untold is that he becomes Goliath. Power, prestige, and influence drive David to be the bully. His storyline includes adultery, murder, and a divided family.
A few years ago, Dr. Samuel Wells asked the graduating class of Duke University, “Is that going to be you? Will you leave here as David and spend the next twenty to thirty years of your life becoming Goliath?”
It is a fair question, an honest question. We see it reflected in all aspects of our world. Individuals in a noble profession start with humility, grace, and truth and quickly let status and wealth destroy their integrity.
Jesus says, “Anyone who can be trusted in little matters can also be trusted in important matters. But anyone dishonest in little matters will be dishonest in important matters” (Luke 16: 10).
This verse highlights the value of consistency in our lives. Someone who demonstrates honesty with insignificant matters can be trusted with more important matters. If someone is dishonest in small things, it raises concerns about their integrity in more critical responsibilities.
The Latin root of the word integrity refers to someone who is integrated. They are the same on the outside as they are on the inside. Their actions match their words, and their words and their actions match the faith they claim to profess.
The wisdom of Proverbs says, “The integrity of the upright guides them, but their duplicity destroys the unfaithful” (Proverbs 11:3).
Inconsistent lives reflect a lack of integrity. It is only a matter of time before someone living a divided life is destroyed.
My working definition is that integrity is choosing the right thing consistently, even when no one is watching.
Our world is hurting for people with bold integrity. We need people who consistently say what they mean and mean what they say. We need honest people and trustworthy people. We need people who are more concerned about their integrity than they are their reputation.
Legendary basketball coach John Wooden once said, “Be more concerned for your character than your reputation because your character is what you are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”
Integrity is the willingness to play the long game. You can’t be in ministry long without people trying to destroy your reputation. In this particular season of our denomination, and at this moment, some pastors want to destroy my reputation by starting rumors and gossip. And that is how they intend to build their kingdom. A future built on a foundation that lacks integrity will eventually fall.
Ann Landers once said, “People of integrity expect to be believed. They also know time is on their side and are willing to wait.”
If you build it with integrity, it will last.
Integrity is consistency. It doesn't mean perfection. It's about acknowledging our mistakes and seeking forgiveness when we fall short. But it is about consistently choosing the right over the wrong.
Integrity is choosing the right thing consistently, even when no one is watching.
🔑 “Success is temporary, but integrity is forever.” Focus on building a legacy of trust and honesty, even when no one is watching. #Integrity #LongTermGoals
The apostle Peter says, “Maintain a good conscience so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame” (I Peter 3:16).
In The Message, Peterson translates Peter’s words as, “Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick. They’ll end up realizing that they’re the ones who need a bath.”
If you build it with integrity, it will last.
A well-known homebuilder was retiring from a four-decade career of building homes in the Midwest. He was a respectable homebuilder with a reputation for building excellent-quality homes. Five years before retiring, he told his board that he was set to retire in five years to give them plenty of time to find his replacement.
He would remind the board each year, “I am retiring in four years, three years, two years, and finally, at the end of the year, I will be stepping away.”
At the end of the year, his board chair approached him and asked, “Would you be willing to build us one more house?” He protested. He refused, but the board chair was insistent. “Just one more house,” he demanded. Finally, the man relented and agreed to build one final home.
But his heart wasn’t in it. He did things that he had never done before in building past homes. He cut corners. He hired unethical subcontractors. He bought the cheapest material.
Looking from the outside, the house looked fine. It was a beautiful, large home. And on the surface, it looked good. But the builder knew that this was some of his worst work. Behind the surface, the home was weak.
The board chair and all the company members came to the work site on the day it was completed. The board chair said, “We value your work more than you can imagine. And to appreciate your dedication of the past forty years, we want to give you the keys to this home as a gift from all of us.”
The builder recognized what we all come to recognize one day, “You are building your own home.”
Every decision, how you choose to live, every word you speak, every action in your marriage, and as a parent, you are building your own home.
Whether you honor or dishonor others, live selfishly or selflessly, live honestly or cut corners, extend grace, or live in judgment, you are building your own house.
If you build it with integrity, it will last.
Bold integrity ensures a solid foundation. Amen.
Jamey Prickett
🏠 Every decision we make is building our own home. Let’s build with integrity, ensuring a solid foundation that will stand the test of time. #BuildWithIntegrity #Legacy
Discussions
Reflect on a time when you had to choose between doing what was right and what was easy. How did your decision impact your sense of integrity and how others perceive you?
How do you interpret the message "Be David, but don’t become Goliath" in the context of modern challenges and temptations? Have you witnessed or experienced situations where someone initially full of integrity became corrupted by power?
Why is consistency crucial to maintaining integrity, as highlighted in Luke 16:10? How does consistent behavior build trust in personal and professional relationships?
🙏 “Be more concerned for your character than your reputation.” True integrity means consistently choosing right over wrong, regardless of public opinion. #CharacterOverReputation #LiveBoldly
Prayer
Lord, we ask for Your wisdom and discernment as we navigate the challenges and opportunities. May our decisions honor You and reflect Your love to those around us. When we fall short, grant us the grace to seek forgiveness and the strength to rise again, committed to living with integrity.
We commit to building a lasting legacy of faithfulness, trustworthiness, and unwavering character. May our actions glorify You and inspire others to live with bold integrity. We trust in Your promise that it will last if we build with integrity. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
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Benediction
May the Lord bless you and keep you. May He guide your steps with the light of His truth, leading you to live lives of integrity and grace. May you prioritize kindness, compassion, and honesty over worldly success. May your actions consistently reflect your words, and may your words align with the faith you profess.
